Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in the Great State of Ohio

Dedicated to cemetery preservation in the great state of Ohio


"A cemetery may be considered as abandoned when all or practically all of the bodies have been Removed therefrom and no bodies have been buried therein for a great many years, and the cemetery has been so long neglected as entirely to lose its identity as such, and is no longer known, recognized and respected by the public as a cemetery. 1953 OAG 2978."

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving - 2019!

Happy Thanksgiving!

  
We do have much to be thankful for despite the setbacks that life throws at us. So it is that on Thanksgiving we devote a few moments to reflect on our country's past and the lives of the Mayflower pilgrims whose journey to America was perilous and uncertain.  Sadly, not all survived to reach its shores.  Yet, those who remained kept their courage and convictions.  Their strength sustained them to stay the course throughout the voyage and after they arrived in America.  They soon learned that they would be living on a landscape with a local culture that was vastly different than what they had left behind. It was their unwavering faith and fortitude that kept them going to adapt and even thrive.
"The rest is history"as they say, but what a glorious history and legacy these hardy pilgrims have given us.
In the spirit of sharing on a day of thanksgiving, here is a link to a "BillionGraves" Blog Post that I feel everyone can enjoy reading entitled: "Mayflower Family Gravestones."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

OGS library directs speaks at historical society meeting.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yes, burial records are always useful whether there is a tombstone or not.  Some tombstones are worn away to the point that reading the inscriptions is no longer possible.  Or there are missing pieces to a broken marker that contain valuable information.  

In the 1950s, in Ohio, many D.A.R. Chapter members went out and conducted inscription transcriptions, sometimes including short epitaphs.  There were errors of course, but still there might have been gravesetone information that today is no longer readable or the marker has sunken below ground.
  
In the 1990s and into the early 2000's, many Ohio Genealogical Society Chapter members conducted whole cemetery tombstone inscription transcriptions and published them.  
*****

The Ohio Genealogical Society's library holds all of  the publications of its chapters.  
******
With the advent of the internet, as many know, websites like "Find A Grave", "BillionGraves", "Interment.Net",
 and "Ohiogravestones.org" have offered much for contributor based gravestone photos and information.  
More websites are coming on all of the time. Also, those like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and the newspaper websites like NewpaperArchive.org or Newspapers.com offer possibilities for finding obituaries. 
Some county public libraries have digitized their local newspapers. Champaign County (Ohio) Public Library is one library that has digitized their historical newspaper.  
*******
If you are a genealogist, your last stop for research just maybe at your ancestor's gravesite. 

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission Current Member Listing - November 2019

OHIO CEMETERY DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMISSION

Members:

Rufus Slade
Woodland Cemetery
Dayton, OH
July 1, 2020
 
Kirk D. Roberts
Sherwood Memorial Gardens
Wooster, OH
July 1, 2020

 Thomas R. Thompson
Catholic Cemeteries Association
North Ridgeville, OH
July 1, 2021

Jay C. Russell
Public Member
Medina, OH
July 1, 2022

New Member:
Timothy D. Cassady
Public Member
Mechanicsburg, OH
October 4, 2019 - July 1, 2023

Vacant - Public Member
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
77 South High Street
20th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6133 U.S.A.
An Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider
614 | 466 4100
Fax 614 | 644 0584
TTY/TDD 800 | 750 0750
www.com.ohio.gov
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission"

"1. Introduce myself and Kelly Neer
 
2. Who are we? 
*****
9 member commission, 

7 representing the three types of cemeteries and 

2 public members, that assist in resolving complaints against registered cemeteries using informal techniques of mediation.
***** 
3. Complaint process
 
4. Authority
 
Top Maintenance Complaints:

1. Mowing and trimming
 
2. Pest control – groundhogs, deer, geese
 
3. Road conditions
 
4. Fences
 
5. Flags/decorations
 
6. Lot conditions – settling/seeding
 
Avoiding Complaints
 
1. Understanding your client

 
2. Look at the big picture

 3. Communications with the client
 4. Communications with other cemetery staff

 5. Minimum Maintenance Guidelines

 6. Your rules and regulations

 7. Some complaints can’t be prevented – OCDRC provides a forum for families and cemeteries to be 
heard

 
8. Most cemeteries are well maintained! It provides comfort to families – thank you for your work!!"
~*~*~*~*~
Kimberley S. Wells, Division Counsel; Kelly Neer, External Auditor; and Christie Limbert, Assistant Attorney General.

Cemetery restoration group needs volunteers

Champaign County, Ohio.

"The Champaign County Cemetery Restoration Project is inviting adults in the community, who enjoy an outdoor challenge, to assist in clearing a local cemetery. The Rector-Gard Cemetery at the corner of Upper Valley Pike and Storms Creek Road has been selected for a late-fall clean up. Bad weather and harvesting have prevented an earlier date.
The dates for the effort (weather permitting) are Saturdays, November 16 and 23, beginning at 10 a.m., and Sundays, November 17 and 24 at 1 p.m. Persons with brush saws and chain saws are especially needed. Participants should bring such tools as rakes and other helpful items. Boots and gloves are recommended. 
Prospective volunteers are asked to call and register with Janet Ebert at 937-653-3440 prior to attending the clean up date."

Monday, November 11, 2019

Veterans Day is Remembrance Day - 2019 - "Lest We Forget"

Honoring all veterans on this Veterans Day - 2019.
America and the world remembers you and your sacrifices made in service to your country. 
Your selfless acts of bravery have enabled us to have and hold dear all of the freedoms that we enjoy today.  
Thank you now, and thank you always.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sharing this link to "BillionGraves"' blog post today.:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 

Sunday, November 3, 2019

"Geneva Cemeteries Seek Continuing Levy" - Ashtabula "Star Beacon"

This spotlight news story from the Ashtabula "Star Beacon" - November 2, 2019 presents specific details explaining how placing a continuing levy on the ballot will appeal to voters for several reasons. 
Excerpt: 
"Continuing levies can be applied under a number of different circumstances, including levies for operating expenses and permanent improvements, according to information from the Ohio Secretary of State."
Also, see the image below.  
Continuing/Continuous levies help townships keep funding in place for cemeteries.